


What I Would Do For You

by ConversationWithFriends



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-11-08 12:43:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17981555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConversationWithFriends/pseuds/ConversationWithFriends
Summary: Penelope kissed Josie. Even though she knew what it would mean. What she would have to do.After the kiss in 1x06 Penelope left the Salvatore School and disappeared. She never returned to the Salvatore School. She never spoke to Josie again.Until now.





	1. Consequences

Penelope knew what it would mean. She knew before she did it. During it. After. And she fucking hated herself for it. Kissing Josie was unforgivable. It had consequences that Penelope would have to see through. 

The feeling of Josie lingered desperately on her lips. Penelope closed her eyes, hoping the feeling would stay if she focused on it completely. It had always felt electric between them, but after all this time it had grown into something more. Something hungrier. It was only when she kissed Josie that Penelope completely dissolved into a kiss. That she escaped her own mind and just felt. Penelope recalled the furious way Josie had grabbed her, pulling her in like she had been resisting it for far too long. Penelope slid down the wooden walls of the corridor envisioning how Josie had walked away. Trying to forget the look of fury in her eyes. Penelope let herself fall to the floor, she gave herself a few moments to play Josie’s words in her ears. I hate you. She gave herself a few moments to feel her own heartbreak. 

Then Penelope stood up. Her face became emotionless, her eyes distant. She turned and walked down the hall. She walked to the only person who could help her. Her footsteps echoed in the corridors, the only sound filling up the space. Penelope could barely hold back the crushing dread that she felt. She knew then that she’d be walking this solitary walk for the foreseeable future. She knew then that the next few months would devastate her. Penelope swung open the door. A figure looked up at her in surprise. Penelope watched their face register her puffy eyes and red cheeks. They stepped towards her, she could see her own fear reflected in their eyes. 

“What’s wrong?” the figure asked. Penelope stepped forward. Her eyes squinted with determination. She knew she needed to do this right. It had to be explained clearly, believably. Everything that mattered depended on it. Josie’s life depended on it. 

“I need you to listen. This has to be quick. I need your help,” Penelope replied, speaking in short bursts from a pre-prepared script. She’d known it might come to this. As soon as she’d found out the truth. Part of her felt as though she’d already shared these very words. The figure listened intently. Their eyes widened as Penelope explained it all, but Penelope hurried through it so there was no time for a full reaction. When she finished, Penelope let out a breath. “I have to go. I don’t have much time.”

The figure stepped forward, their hands reaching out to embrace. Penelope shook her head, her eyes glistening. She stepped back. “I can’t. I can barely do any of this. I have to go.” Her voice cracked as she spoke. Penelope stumbled backward. She realised at that moment the extent of what she was losing. Not just Josie, somewhere along the line she’d found others. Others she cared for. Others who cared for her. She was losing them all. 

Penelope pulled shut the door. Once again, her footsteps filled the corridors. She started to see it all clearer then, even as her vision blurred. She saw the dark wooden floorboards, the Salvatore Crest on each door and the pictures of students that lined the walls. She could imagine, in every room, the people that lived there. Penelope saw the school that had somehow become her home. That Josie had shown her could be her home. Her hands started to shake slightly. She clenched her fists. She had to be stronger than this. Firmly, she pulled open the door to her room. Penelope kept her eyes staring at her belongings as she gathered them all in a bag. There wasn’t time to take the photos off the walls and she didn’t know if she could. So, she left the few images of her and Josie pinned to the wall. Quickly, with increasing urgency, she packed and then, after barely any time at all, Penelope fled. From then on when Penelope thought of Josie, she fought against it. 

After that Penelope left the school. She didn’t kiss Josie again. Or even ever talk about the kiss they’d shared. Penelope didn’t speak another word to Josie Saltzman. She never returned to Mystic Falls. 

Until now. 

Five years later.

Josie carried the stacked library books to the shelves. Her hands placed the books in order while her eyes wandered blankly around the room. She’d been doing this a lot lately. Ordering books. Stacking shelves. The librarian had given her several strange looks at this point but didn’t say anything, so Josie had continued. Perhaps it was a symptom, a sign of her inevitable death. Part of her hoped it was. At least then it wouldn’t be on her how fucking tragic her life had gotten. Bloody hell. She needed to get the fuck out of the library. 

Josie pattered down her skirt. She straightened out her shirt and fiddled slightly with the necklace that ran around her neck. At the end of the chain was a small silver crow. She placed it back under her shirt. 

She considered going to the school oval. The students of Mystic Falls High would be returning today, and she could use some of their oblivious laughter. But then again, she knew Hope was looking out looking for her, no doubt to confirm that she was on for dinner tonight at the Salvatore School, and the thought of getting a preview of the sugar-covered sympathy she was sure to receive that night was beyond uncomfortable. After deliberating for a while, she decided to head to the school hall to wait out the fourty minutes before class began. 

Josie sat on the edge of the stage, her feet dangled over it. Her light blue flats a few steps back from her. The seats spread out in front of her and she could almost imagine that the plastic chairs were, in fact, the plush red seats of a theatre. She could almost picture the hall filled with the energy and noise of a full audience. It reminded her of the talent show. God how she’d longed to perform, but she’d never gotten up the courage. And now, it looked as though the moment had passed. 

Josie muttered an incarnation and music began to play softly. She shoulders soften as she took a breath. She let it fill the space. She let it take her. Take her along the bouncing melodies and repetitive rhythms. Josie decided to spell the roof to show the blue sky of the outside world. She stared up at the sun streaming through the clouds. It reminded her of a girl she’d tried to forget. Of days they spent in bed lying in the sun. 

She ran her fingers through her hair. The sound of the song swelled as it approached its chorus. A year ago, she’d have joined in. 

“You really thought I couldn’t find you in here?” a voice asked, with a familiar smirk. Josie sighed and twisted her head to see a figure stepping towards her. 

“A girl can dream, can’t she?” Josie responded, the joke died off towards the end. Her tone was more sad than humorous. “Hi Hope”. 

Hope approached Josie and sat down beside her. She gripped her hand on the edge of the stage, so their hands touched. 

“Josie I-” Hope began, her eyes were locked to their hands. The words came slowly, as if she were pulling them out from within her. 

“Please don’t. I know alright. I can see it in your face. You don’t have to update me. I know. You guys haven’t found a solution to the merge,” Josie interrupted, her voice soft. Her breathing was shallow, and her face was clenched in anguish. But it was anguish she was resolved to. 

“We still have time Josie. We are going to find one,” Hope insisted, staring right at Josie. Josie shook her head slowly. She leaned away from Hope. 

“It’s in two months Hope. I haven’t seen my mum in weeks and she nearly died trying to solve this. Who knows where Lizzie even is, and Dad hasn’t left his office for days. I just want my family together before…Enough of this searching already,” Josie responded, she spoke fast and with urgency. She shut her eyes and sat like that for a few moments. Hope let them pass quietly. Josie knew Hope understood, not the particulars but the feeling of loss. Slowly Josie got up, her body wavered in exhaustion. “I have to go, class starts soon.”

Hope looked up at her and nodded slightly. She didn’t get up, she just turned and looked up at the sky. The sun shining through the clouds. Josie had been making various roofs the outside sky for months now. Hope had never asked why, but she could guess what it reminded Josie of. Who it reminded her of. Hope let out a breath. 

“Remember to come to dinner tonight. Alaric has promised he’ll be there,” Hope reminded, a weary smile on her face. Josie didn’t respond she just swung the door closed, but she’d be there, and she was sure Hope knew that. It would take a lot for Josie to miss a dinner with her father. Hell hadn't frozen over just yet. 

The kids had been particularly loud today. Josie attempted to massage her forehead as she walked up the Salvatore driveway. Her headache was already pounding. When she’d agreed to teach history at Mystic Falls High, she hadn’t considered how dull it would be to remove the supernatural from it and how vacuous sixteen-year-olds are. She swore she just saw a student stare at himself in the school window while he stroked his hair, for forty minutes. Ha. He reminded her far too much of Lizzie at that age. Josie smiled to herself, softly. Lizzie. It had been months. She closed her eyes, her smiled disappeared. She pushed herself forward. 

She’d been waiting for forty minutes. Sitting alone on the chairs outside her Dad’s office. Plenty of students had passed by now, whispering, with a nervous glint of fascination in their eyes. Josie fiddled with her fingers in an attempt to hold back her frustration. The door taunted her, she imagined it laughing at her as she waited for her Dad to come out of the office like she was still sixteen. He spent all his time in there now. She wasn’t allowed to enter. The study was always quiet, eerily so. She had realised he’d spelled it that way years ago. So, the only noise she could hear was the gossip of the students. 

“Yeah, that’s Miss Saltzman. The merge is in a few months, there’s no way she’s going to make it.” Josie looked up, her breaths quickened. The two lightbulbs by the door flickered underneath their lampshades. The boy who had spoken stepped back as Josie glared at him. Her heart pounded. His face went blank. Her eyes hardened. He hurried from the room. The other students followed him. Josie’s breathing calmed slightly, her eyes glistened. She’d meant to explode the lightbulbs, but her magic had been too weak for months. Too weak to do practically anything. Josie clenched her fists. She stared at the door in front of her. 

“Fuck this. Fuck all of this,” Josie whispered despairingly. She placed her hands onto the door. She felt the magic of the Salvatore School travel from the floorboards up to the door. A tear fell from her cheek as she pressed on the door harder. With a bang, it opened. Just when Josie was about to smile, she noticed another person in the room with her Father. Her heart sunk. Her breathing quickened. Her forehead clenched. “Penelope?”

Penelope looked different to how Josie remembered her. Different to the pictures she’d kept of her locked away at her Mother’s apartment. Penelope had a tattoo that peaked out from underneath her camo jacket. She was wearing brown thick boots and black jeans. Her curly hair sat just beneath her shoulders. But it was her eyes that looked most different to Josie, they seemed darker. 

“Hey Jojo. You’re not supposed to be in here. The adults are talking,” Penelope mocked, her voice cold. She raised her eyebrows as her mouth widened into a smile. Josie could feel her arrogance, her enjoyment, pulsating from her. Penelope stepped forward from behind the desk, towards Josie. Josie felt her cheeks redden, at the nickname and just at Penelope’s grin. 

“Aw isn’t that pathetic, even after all this time I can still make you blush,” Penelope purred, she was close to Josie now. Josie could feel her body heat. Josie’s heart pounded, her cheeks reddened more so with shame. She stepped back. She looked towards her Father, her forehead clenched. Josie felt the weight of his betrayal. Alaric looked at her, he gave a sympathetic smile. 

“What’s she doing here?” Josie asked, her voice urgent. She locked eyes with Alaric. 

“Oh, your Daddy didn’t tell you? I’ve come back for you Josie. It seems you need my help.” Josie’s eyes widened. She turned and looked at Penelope. 

Penelope winked. 

Josie was definitely missing dinner.


	2. Hold My Hand

Penelope had been unsure of this plan. Unsure was an understatement. When Alaric had first suggested it to her, she’d been downright against it. Her memories of Josie had faded over the years. She had only a few images of the girl in her mind. The thrilling surprise on her face after their first kiss. Her smile. The sun streaming in her window and covering a sleeping Josie in her bed. The sadness in her eyes when she had whispered, I hate you. It had been enough, it had been more than enough to sustain Penelope. To keep her fighting forward. But she wasn’t a moron, she knew she was a stranger to Josie now. And after everything she’d seen. Everything she’d done. She knew it was best for Josie for her to stay that way. So, she’d rejected the plan immediately. It wasn’t until she saw Josie that she’d understood why the plan was necessary. 

The girl in front of her wasn’t the Josie she remembered. The girl was leaning against a wall as if she couldn’t carry herself. She had deep trenches under her eyes and her body could barely fill out the thin cardigan she wore over her shirt. And her power, Penelope could barely feel it even when she was standing right next to her. Josie needed something. She needed someone to force her to bring her power back. And, well, Penelope had never been able to resist giving Josie something she needed.

“Josie you shouldn’t have barged in here. You know the rules,” Alaric critiqued. How easily he slipped into the role of a teacher even with his own adult child, it was a small comfort to Penelope. Not everything had changed. Josie on the other had looked murderous, her surprise at seeing Penelope had clearly faded. Her eyes narrowed. Josie stepped towards Alaric and Penelope wondered for a brief moment if she was going to lung her tired body at him. 

“What is she doing here?” Josie repeated, her voice now venomous. Penelope took a breath. She knew that was her cue. Part of her was worried about how easy this all was for her, playing the villain. The character no one would root for. Maybe that’s who she was now. 

“Well, as I’m sure you know the offensive magic teacher quit recently. Alaric is in dire need of a replacement and of course, he thought of his only daughter…the only daughter here anyway,” Penelope explained, pausing for effect at the mention of Lizzie. Penelope watched Josie’s face flash first with sadness and then with a fierce determination. A hatred. Penelope watched as Josie’s world rearranged itself in her eyes, as all her problems and pain became the fault of a raven-haired witch. Became Penelope’s fault. She plastered on a smirk and continued, 

“But it’s rumoured you’re having a bit of a hard time even performing the most basic of spells, so he called in the real firepower. Me. You’re mostly there just to check I don’t turn the kids into pumpkins if I’m having a bad day,” Penelope finished, smiling hard at that last part. Pumpkins weren’t really her thing. They were the things of fairy tales and she was much darker than that. 

Alaric gave her a disapproving glare. He probably thought that last bit was a bit much. But could feel it, she could feel Josie channeling the power from the floorboards of the school. Without realizing it, Josie was making Penelope more and more confident that, for the first time in five years, near Josie was exactly where she needed to be.  
Josie turned to her. Penelope wondered briefly is she was going to address her directly. She raised one eyebrow suggestively. Quickly, Josie spun back around to her Dad. 

“She can’t be serious Dad. Tell me she’s lying,” Josie demanded, but Penelope could sense a plea underneath her demands. Penelope tried to not think of all of this from Josie’s perspective. She didn’t want to consider the things she’d done to Josie. The way she must hate her. 

Alaric placed a hand on Josie’s shoulder. He gave her an expression of genuine concern. Penelope could see Josie soften at the touch. Her body weaken slightly. 

“Let’s talk about this alone honey. Penelope can we please continue our talk later?” Alaric asked. Penelope nodded. Her eyes were masked by a coldness again. Just as she was about to leave, Josie asked, 

“Why her? Why of all the people did you get her?” Her voice had lost its vengeful edge. Penelope saw it then. The moment to lunge in with a dagger. It was like instinct to her now. 

“Who else Jojo? It seems to me that everyone else has left.” She didn’t add 'left you', but she knew Josie could hear it there all the same. Josie spun and stared at Penelope. Her fists clenched. Her eyes blazed. 

All lightbulbs in the study exploded. Alaric stood in front of Josie but none of the shards of glass fell on her. Instead, they went directly towards Penelope. If she hadn’t of cast a blocker spell, she was sure they would have cut her all over. Josie’s eyes widened, and Penelope could see a mix of fright and satisfaction in them. 

Penelope made sure she didn’t make eye contact with Alaric. But she could imagine that she’d see a similar mix. Fright at the anger within Josie. Satisfaction that he’d been right about Penelope. 

“You’ll have to be quicker next time.” Penelope smirked at Josie, holding her eyes for a long moment. Then she swung open the door and left the study. 

Penelope stared down the hallway. Shards of glass lined it and the lightbulbs were no more. Her Josie was back. 

Josie hadn’t eaten dinner with Hope and her Dad. She couldn’t be sure that Penelope wouldn’t show up and she couldn’t risk seeing her. There were too many memories there. Too many things she was trying not to think about, trying not to feel. Her power had faded a bit since she’d burst those lightbulbs, but she could still feel it, like a buzzing in the background. A familiar sound she’d longed for and almost forgotten. She didn’t want to think about what that meant. So instead she reminded herself that Penelope meant nothing. Penelope was just a damaged cruel girl who wanted to hurt Josie for her own sick amusement. She was what she’d always been; broken. 

And the thudding in her chest that occurred whenever they made eye contact was just her surprise. Suprise at seeing her after all this time. Nothing more. 

So, anyway, Josie hadn’t eaten yet. It was 11pm and she was goddam starving. She’d tried to sleep but thoughts of why the raven-haired monster was back had kept her tossing and turning until she’d given in and gotten out of bed. The conversation with Alaric hadn’t gone smoothly, she hadn’t loved working at Mystic Falls High, but it had a familiar comfort about it and more importantly no reminders of her impending doom. Josie tried to smile but she couldn’t muster the energy. Alaric had pleaded with her, he’d said he needed to her to help. That he couldn’t leave Penelope alone with the kids. Well, that last part was obvious to her, but why it had to be her to help she wasn’t sure. Still, it was her Dad and she didn’t know how many more favours he’d have the time to ask her for, so she figured she could at least manage this. 

She was heading to the kitchen for ice cream, her dad had kept a tub of each of her and Lizzie’s favourite flavours in the freezer since he built the Salvatore School. Lizzie’s flavour was actually her favourite, choc chip mint, but only Penelope knew that. Josie hadn’t touched the choc mint since Lizzie had left, she wanted it to be there for her when Lizzie came back. If she did, Josie reminded herself. If. 

Just as she was about to enter the kitchen, she noticed that flickering light was coming from under the doors for the gym. She approached the doors and tried to push them open. The doors didn’t budge. They must have been spelled close. Josie touched the wood and tried to mutter an incarnation, but she couldn’t channel the magic. She sighed. How predictable. Her mind went back to the ice cream sitting in the freezer. But then she heard it. A scream. She knew that voice. She’d never heard like that, terrified, in pain, but she still recognised it. It was Penelope. 

Josie pressed hard on the doors. She pulled the magic from it. Demanded it to bend to will. Her eyes were dark. She pulled. She pulled harder. Before she could even mutter the spell, the doors burst open. 

She didn’t see Penelope at first. Her eyes were distracted by the shards of glass that covered the floor, the broken windows, the floorboards that had been ripped out of the floor. The blood. Penelope. Where the fuck was Penelope? 

Josie saw Penelope then. Her face was clenched in agony. Blood ran from her eyes. She was in pajama shorts and a singlet. She was so thin. How had Josie not noticed before how sickly thin she was? She was screaming, but Josie could hear none of her screams. Her veins were black. A dark black. It looked almost as though they were moving from where Josie stood. Josie ran forward. She tried to reach out to Penelope, but Penelope moved before she could. Penelope’s eyes were dark black. Josie wasn’t even sure if Penelope could see her. 

“Penelope, can you hear me?” Josie asked her voice soft with worry. Abruptly, she heard Penelope scream. Then silence again, but she could see Penelope’s mouth. She was still screaming. The balancing beam flung itself against the wall, breaking in half. Penelope was in pain, Josie could see that. Something was tearing at her from inside. Josie’s heart thudded painfully in her chest. Penelope fell to her knees. Josie clenched her fists. Blood droplets fell from Penelope's eyes. Josie ran to her. 

She grabbed Penelope’s hand. Penelope tried to push Josie off, her eyes manic. Josie grabbed her harder. More glass shattered. Josie could feel the power in Penelope. A dark power that was trying to break free from her skin. Josie could feel the power coming for her, trying to push her off Penelope. Penelope closed her eyes, her face scrunched in agony. Josie heard her scream again. She knew what she had to do. 

Josie siphoned the magic from Penelope. She pulled it in. She could feel it raging within her. Angry. Demanding her blood. But she could also feel Penelope coming back to her. The black in her veins was fading. Josie pulled harder. Her eyes went dark. She fainted. 

“Josie. Josie come back. Come back Josie,” Penelope yelled, her eyes glistening. Josie could feel the world coming back into focus. She had a pounding in her head. Everything else just hurt. But she could see Penelope kneeling above her. Penelope’s eyes were clear, no longer dark. The blood had been wiped from her cheeks and her skin was clear. Josie smiled softly. 

“Hey Pen,” she whispered, half conscious. Penelope smiled too then. She stared into Josie’s eyes. Josie stared back. Josie could feel Penelope’s body heat, she was warm again. She was holding her hand. They didn’t move. They both breathed deeply. They both silently thanked the other. For a moment it was peaceful. 

Penelope’s eyes went cold. 

“You shouldn’t have been in here. Stop trying to play the hero,” Penelope said, stepping away from Josie. Her eyes looked away from Josie’s and Josie felt a frost come over the gym. She tried to pass off the pain in her chest as an effect of the dark magic, but it sounded weak even in her head. Her body slackened on the floor in exhaustion. 

Josie watched as Penelope cast her eyes over the destruction in the gym. Penelope whispered an incarnation Josie couldn’t quite make out. The glass lifted off the floor and fitted itself back in the windows. The floorboards slotted back into the floor. Even the balance beam put itself back together. Josie stared up at Penelope, her eyes wide with amazement. 

“You’re going to need to get rid of that dark magic. I’ll speak to Alaric,” Penelope uttered, her voice monotone and her eyes already facing the doors. Josie hoisted herself up. She glared at Penelope. A rage suddenly filling her. She’d just absorbed an insane amount of dark magic for some dark witch bitch who couldn’t even be bothered to say thank you. 

“Most people would just say thank you,” Josie responded, glaring aggressively at Penelope. Penelope didn’t look back at her, in fact, she made no acknowledgment that she’d heard Josie at all. Josie waited, glaring. Eventually, though her annoyance gave way to her curiosity. “What was that?”

Penelope turned to look at Josie. Her smile playful but her eyes sad.  
“My coven. They’re calling me back.”  
Then Penelope walked away. She swung open the door of the gym. Looking back just for a moment Penelope said, 

“You shouldn’t have been able to hear me. I had a silencing spell on myself. Or absorbed all that power. Perhaps there’s hope for you yet Josie Saltzman.” She winked. Then she pulled shut the door. 

Josie stood in the gym staring at the door many moments after Penelope had left from them. Josie’s mind reeled from the things she’d just witnessed. She fumed at Penelope’s thankless wink. She fretted over the classes they would be taking tomorrow together. But mostly Josie just thought about how it had felt to have Penelope hold her hand. 

The thought terrified her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the comments! Let me know if you want me to continue.


	3. Meet Me in the Fire

Josie couldn’t think about last night. She wouldn’t. It wasn’t just the usual torture that came from spending time thinking about Penelope. It was the particular torture of thinking about her in pain. Thinking about the blood running from her eyes. Her silent screams. It was the difficulty of trying to live with the sides to her that Josie could never understand. The cruelty of her words stood side by side with the softness of her touch. The intoxicating feeling of being held by her. Josie couldn’t think about it. She wouldn’t. 

Josie straightened her light blue leather jacket; she hadn’t worn it in almost a year. She’d left the cream cardigan in her cupboard this morning. She stood, staring at the door, outside of her classroom. Class was due to start in five minutes but the hallway was empty. Josie had always gotten up early but the memories of her pleading with Lizzie to get her out of bed were still fresh. She was determined to not let them fade, even with Lizzie gone. Josie fiddled with her lipstick, she’d tried a darker shade and she was already regretting it. She fiddled with the cuffs of her shirt as she contemplated wiping it off and getting rid of the jacket. These were small changes but she knew Penelope would notice them, or at least she would of. Back when… It had been one of the worst and the best things about dating Penelope, always being seen. 

She took a breath. She needed to get in there. She had a class to teach and the supplies in the classroom weren’t going to organise themselves. If Penelope was anything like the girl she’d known in school she still had about twenty minutes until she rocked up. Josie nodded to herself. She pushed open the doors. 

The classroom was swarming with teenagers. There were extra chairs in the room and still, teens were perched on tables. Josie braced herself for a raucous, for the shouts and laughs and cries, but it was silent. The teens were all looking straight ahead, eyes wide and necks craned forward. It was completely silent, except for the voice of Penelope Park. 

Josie walked to the front of the classroom. She was nearly at the front and yet no one had heard her. Not even Penelope. Penelope’s eyes were staring out at students. 

“Offensive magic isn’t inherently violent. The victors of most wars aren’t the strongest, but the most strategic. The ability to trick your enemy should never be underestimated,” Penelope called out, her voice filling up the room. Josie stared at her. Penelope had total command of the students, her stance filled with authority. It reminded Josie of when Penelope used to boss around her makeshift coven of witches at the school five years ago.

Josie stepped forward. She stood directly in front of a student and yet they didn’t seem to notice her at all. It was as though they were looking through her. Josie’s eyes widened in panic, her heart began to thud loudly in her chest. She couldn’t be, it was impossible. She couldn’t be invisible. 

Just as Josie was about to shout out Penelope turned and winked at her. Then Penelope disappeared. 

Josie would have freaked out then. She would have freaked out at Penelope vanishing and her possibly, maybe, kind of being invisible. Basically, she would have freaked the fuck out, but Penelope had winked at her. She’d seen her. Josie was sure of that and not just cause Penelope always saw her. And something about that irritating, frustrating, dangerously attractive wink that had always felt safe to her. 

“Vision spells. It’s much easier to hurt your enemy if you can distort what they see.” Josie could see Penelope’s smug grin before she turned to look at her. Penelope had reappeared behind the students. Josie watched looks of pure delight and shock fill all their faces as they stared at Penelope. Josie couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Josie grimaced as if Penelope needed any new reason for her ego to grow. She also couldn’t help but look at Penelope with a tinge of the same awe. She was infuriating, selfish, and evil but God she was magnetic. 

Josie could hear the students chatting about Penelope. She could hear whispers about how Penelope was a dark witch who’d been practicing in the mountains on werewolves. How Penelope had run a school for witches in England. How she’d led armies. How she’d destroyed monsters. It was all fables, Josie knew that, but staring at her, hearing her talk of how witchcraft could be wielded like a sword just as easily as it could help heal the sick Josie couldn’t help but believe them. She believed all the versions of Penelope’s past; she believed they had all occurred in different worlds, in different galaxies. She believed that they’d all led Penelope here. To these students. Perhaps even to her. 

“Think its time to introduce my partner, Josie Saltzman,” Penelope announced, smiling softly at Josie. Suddenly, all the students’ eyes were on her again. Penelope had made her visible. Their looks of awe were now directed at Josie. She felt her cheeks redden. Unconsciously she fiddled with her shirt cuffs and tried to look away. 

“Now enough of the introductions. Time to get started. Today we are going to focus on the importance of our covens. Our covens are our history. They are our people. Where we come from, who we are, it has all been written by stories that came long before us. The strongest power we possess as witches are the power of our coven. You cannot take on other magical creatures, vampires and wolves who will use the totality of their speed and their strength if you do not use the power of your coven. Or perhaps you can take them on, but you will not win,” Penelope instructed, Josie could see her eyes flash with darkness as she spoke. Josie had never heard Penelope speak this much before, with this much passion. When they’d been together Penelope had mostly just listened to her, asking questions and inserting small snippets. This Penelope seemed to speeches written in her mind waiting to be said. Josie guessed that’s what came from seeing the world. From really living in it. 

Josie was torn by a conflicting desire to step back, as Penelope went on she realised how embarrassingly little she knew about herself, how little knew about the world, and a longing to step forward, to listen and to learn it all. 

“Time for a demonstration. Julian Murphy, can you come up to the front?” Penelope asked. Josie’s eyes scanned the class to find the boy Penelope was referring to. She followed the class’s eyes to a scrawny kid in the back corner. His shirt was oversized as if to comically exaggerate how he hadn’t yet grown into himself. His hair had been bleached white and Josie could see eyeliner outlining his eyes. It was a bold look and if the sniggers of the other students were any indication it didn’t look like it had been well received. Josie glared at Penelope, she debated stepping forward and intervening. Penelope hadn’t been on the outer at school, she didn’t know how this would make Julian a target. How if he failed he’d be ridiculed. Josie hadn’t been on the outer either, but only because of Lizzie. No one would have taken on Lizzie and Josie was Lizzie’s, everyone knew that. This darker Penelope, there was no telling what she would do. 

Josie was about to interject when Penelope smiled softly at her. Again. Josie’s shoulders relaxed. She let out a breath. Then Penelope turned her focus back to Julian, she raised her eyebrows in expectation. Julian stood and shuffled to the front, his eyes downcast. 

When he got to the front Penelope gestured for him to step closer to her. She began to talk to him, but Josie could hear none of it. None of the class could. Josie had never seen someone use magic so seamlessly. Penelope seemed to show him a spell and it looked like he repeated it to her. Josie turned her eyes back to the students. She could hear them sniggering, their whispers, their predictions of how Julian would fail. At that moment, she hoped desperately that Penelope knew what she was doing. 

“Okay, Julian here we go,” Penelope announced, her eyes were locked to his. His nodded to her and gulped. Penelope pulled a block of wood from inside her draw and placed it in front of him. His face flushed with panic. Josie felt her insides tighten. This was not a good idea, she knew that. The pounding of her heart quickened. The lights started to flicker. A light breeze caused the papers on the desk to flutter. Penelope nodded firmly to Julian. He stepped forward. He murmured an incantation. 

The wood rose up. Josie heard a cracking sound. The wood split from itself, shards shooting out in all directions. 

The class shouted in shock as wooden shards flew towards them. Josie closed her eyes in preparation. But the shards never hit them. They went still in the air and fell to the ground. 

Josie locked eyes with Penelope. Her nostrils flared. She clenched her fists. How dare Penelope do all this without telling her? Make her terrified and then save her at the last minute? And the students, obviously this was not the way they should be taught. Penelope shook her head slightly. 

She turned back to Julian. 

“Brilliant work, Julian. Your coven always has been rather good at pulling stuff apart. I think a round of applause is in order and then please sit down,” Penelope instructed. Most of the class clapped begrudgingly and half-heartedly, but Josie could see a few students really cheering. She watched Julian as he sat down, his wasn’t jumping up and down, but his lips were upturned at the edges and his eyes shown. 

Josie began to get out the other materials she had ordered in, expecting Penelope to turn the class over to her when Penelope announced,   
“Okay, so for the rest of the class you are all to head to the library. There’s a list of your names and covens. You are to research your coven. I’ve had Alaric bring in new books about the origins of each coven. Tomorrow those who can answer my questions on their coven will get to practice offensive magic for themselves. We will meet on the school oval.” Penelope signaled for the students to leave the classroom. 

Josie stepped forward to Penelope as the students left. Whirls of insults formed a tornado in her mind. Penelope was supposed to be teaching this class with her and yet she hadn’t consulted with her on a single decision. The lights flickered. But before she could yell Penelope grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the classroom. 

“I swear I’ll kill us both before I let you kidnap me, Penelope Park!” Josie shouted, as Penelope finally let her go in the middle of the woods. She patted down her skirt, her nostrils flared. Penelope smiled. God what a sadist. Josie fought back the urge to hit Penelope, to wipe that sadistic smile off her face. 

“You not into being tied up anymore Jojo?” Penelope purred back, staring Josie directly in the eye as she stepped forward. Josie felt her cheeks blush red, worsening as Penelope’s smile grew. Then Penelope’s smile dissipated. Her eyes narrowed. “I know you haven’t gotten rid of that dark magic. You were making those lights flicker. You stopped the wooden shards, I didn’t. You need to let it out now,” Penelope instructed, her voice cold. Josie recognised it, it was Penelope’s teaching voice. 

Of course, that’s how Penelope saw her, an infant in need of directions, a disgruntled teen who needed to be straightened out. Fuck her. Josie had grown up too. And she’d done it without running. 

“We are supposed to be teaching Offensive Magic together, yet you didn’t involve me at all. Who do you think you are?” Josie cried, stepping closer to Penelope and using her height to stare down at the girl. Penelope rolled her eyes and sighed. 

“Really Josie. I would have included you but I didn’t want to embarrass you. You stopped practicing offensive magic a year ago, do you even have anything you could teach?” Penelope responded, her voice dripping with fake concern. Josie’s jaw dropped. She stepped back. She felt a wave of emotion threatening to overwhelm her. How did Penelope know she’d stopped offensive magic? The leaves around her feet began to swirl.

She swallowed down the hurt and stared back at Penelope. She let herself feel every bit of her rage; she let it all come back from those years ago. And she swore to herself that she’d make Penelope feel every bit of her pain.

“Why are you even here Penelope? Do you just enjoy ruining lives before you run off? Maybe you’re talented with spells but it is not enough to cover up the fact that you’re a fucking coward.” Josie drew out those last words; she wanted to make Penelope feel each one. Penelope’s eyes glanced down for just a moment, so quick Josie wasn’t even sure they had. Then her features restored themselves, her cold eyes returned. 

“Whose lives exactly did I ruin Josie? No one else has complained. Not Alaric when he employed me. Not MG when he checked on me every month last year. Not Hope when we called every few months for the past five years.”

Penelope’s words seemed to echo throughout the woods yet Josie couldn’t comprehend them. She couldn’t even fathom a betrayal so large, involving so many people. Her heart pounded in her ears. She was consumed by hate. Josie felt her grasp on everything around her loosen. 

“Mine. You ruined mine. I hate you,” Josie said back. Her voice was almost a whisper, but an indignant one. A whisper that demanded to be heard. Josie laced her words with hate and hoped Penelope still cared enough to be hurt by them. 

Penelope laughed, a desperate crazed laugh. She stepped back from Josie.   
“You really don’t get it, do you? You don’t get that I hate you too. That you’ve ruined my life. Fucking hell Josie how deluded are you,” she responded. The words struck Josie like lashes. Her chest tightened, hard, squeezing at her heart. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn't think. She felt the world become foreign to her.

The forest was on fire. Josie could see Penelope’s face, against a backdrop of flames and she was smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for my delayed update! I've had a crazy few weeks. This chapter is dark (sorry!). I promise the next one will be a bit more smut and a bit less angst.


	4. Terrifying. Dangerous. Irresponsible.

Penelope couldn’t help but stare at Josie then. Since she’d returned it had been a constant effort to keep her eyes away from the girl, but now, she simply couldn’t help it. There were images of Josie that had been imprinted into Penelope’s mind, images that had stayed with her years after they happened. She knew this would be one of those. The image of Josie free and ruling over the fire. 

Penelope could see Josie’s pleasure. Josie’s mouth wasn’t wide in an all-consuming smile, she wasn’t jumping for joy but as Penelope looked closely at Josie, like she always did, she saw that Josie’s lips were upturned, her eyes were bright. Bright like the fire. 

Penelope’s eyes scanned the forest; she wondered how far Josie’s fire went, if it had reached the edges of her boundary spell yet. If not yet, then it would. Josie was powerful, far more powerful than anyone imagined. Penelope had always known that. 

She looked back at Josie and that’s when she noticed it. That’s when she noticed that Josie’s joy had turned to terror and her terror had shifted into guilt. Penelope’s heart thudded at the realisation. As powerful as Josie was, her guilt would be the end of her. Penelope had discovered that. 

“Josie. Look at me. You have control of this fire. You started it and if you want to, you can end it,” Penelope swore, her eyes fixed on Josie’s. She would have stepped forward, reached out to Josie, but fire blocked her path. It wasn’t surprising really, Josie using her power to separate herself from Penelope, so Penelope tried to not let it sting. 

Josie’s eyes widened. She turned around taking in the sight of the fire, endlessly burning in every direction. Penelope called out to her again but Penelope could see that Josie had stopped listening. The flames grew taller. It felt hotter. Penelope could feel sweat rolling down her back, if she’d known she was going to be slowly roasted to death she would have left her jacket and doc martins back at the school. Penelope needed Josie to listen to her, Josie needed to relax. To not fight against her magic, to not make desperate stabs in the dark, but to let it guide her. Penelope could help her, but she needed to be closer, to be heard. 

Penelope knelt down and touched the earth. She muttered an incantation and cleared a path to Josie. The fire parted for her. Penelope stood up and had to step back to steady herself, feeling faint. The magic had drained her, the fire contained Josie’s rage and it was reveling in it. The fire wanted to burn and it knew that Penelope wasn’t going to let it. 

Penelope reached out to Josie. She placed her hand on Josie’s shoulder.  
“JoJo, I’m here. You’re not alone. No one is in any danger okay; you’re not hurting anyone. Just breathe and you can stop this fire,” Penelope promised, her voice was soft and she knew her expression was gentle. It was dangerously gentle. But Josie’s face was scrunched in panic and her checks were flushed with fear, so Penelope let herself be selfishly soft. Just for a moment. 

“How can I trust you? You hate me remember?” Josie responded, her eyes desperately searching Penelope’s. Penelope flinched at the word hate, so subtly that she knew Josie wouldn’t notice. Penelope had been forced to master the art of the subtle flinch when it came to Josie Saltzman. 

Josie tried to step back from Penelope, but Penelope gripped her.  
“I spent two years teaching witches how to channel their power. I know I can help you get yourself through this because I’ve done it countless times before,” Penelope confided, diverting her eyes. Penelope took her jacket off and wrapped it around her waist; the heat was getting insufferable. She tried to ignore how exposed she felt, telling Josie about the past, her past. She didn’t like the idea that Josie existed in the same world as everything she’d seen in the last five years. Everything she’d done. 

Penelope looked back at Josie. Josie’s shoulders had relaxed slightly. Her eyes had lost some of their fear, replaced by was appeared to be a dangerous curiosity. Penelope gritted her teeth. “Now focus on your magic. Don’t be afraid of the fire; instead, feel your power within it. Feel the fire as it consumes the trees. Find its boundary.” Josie closed her eyes. Her chest rose and her face relaxed. Penelope watched her. 

“Now call it back to you. Demand the fire returns to you. Command it,” Penelope instructed her voice stern. Josie straightened her shoulders. She opened her eyes. Penelope watched her; she watched the fire come back to her until it was raging in only a small circle around the two of them. 

The fire stopped shrinking then. It burned around them, trapping them in it. Penelope looked at Josie who was still staring into the fire. Josie’s shoulders were hunched again. Josie rubbed her eyes. Penelope noticed that Josie's body was wavering. She looked exhausted. 

Penelope reached forward and clasped Josie’s hand. Josie pulled back instinctively but Penelope gripped her hand. Josie’s eyes widened in realisation and her cheeks blushed. Penelope wanted to smile at that, cause here they were in the middle of a fricken fire and Josie was blushing at holding her hand. She wanted to step closer to Josie so their faces were centimetres apart. Step so close that she could feel the heat radiating off Josie’s body, the so she could smell Josie’s signature perfume and see every intricacy of her face. But she couldn’t, she couldn’t be soft. So instead Penelope just met Josie’s inquisitive eyes and nodded slightly. 

Josie turned back to the fire. She intertwined her fingers with Penelope’s. Penelope tingles shoot up her arms as their hands glowed. She held down a soft moan, she’d forgotten how intoxicating it was to have Josie take her power. Have Josie take her. How it brought up all the memories of when Penelope would let Josie siren her as they fucked. As they made love. Penelope heard Josie say a spell and then, in a just a moment, the fire was no more. 

Everything around them was black, covered in soot. It looked dark. Desolate. Decimated. Yet Josie was glowing and Penelope swore it was as though her light was filling up the forest. Covering it in a golden shine. 

“How did it feel?” Penelope asked, failing to hold back a smile. Josie smiled back. A smile that was almost tearing out of her skin. 

“Terrifying. Dangerous. Irresponsible,” Josie responded, trying to straighten out her face. Her voice was humorously stern. She shook her head. 

“And?” Penelope prompted, smirking back at Josie. Josie let out an exaggerated huff. 

“It felt unlike anything else. So exhilarating.” Penelope beamed at that. She couldn’t ignore how beautiful Josie looked in that moment. Her eyes were bright. Her body was filled with confidence. With power. Josie reached forward, touching Penelope’s forehead gently. She started wiping away some soot. Penelope could feel Josie’s breath on her face. Her eyes glanced at Josie’s lips. She stood absolutely still. Josie was smiling at her, but Penelope was paralysed. Paralysed by the feeling of Josie's breath and the softness of her touch. 

“You had some soot on your cheek,” Josie explained, pulling away. Penelope unclasped her hand from Josie’s. Realizing that they had stood there for all that time with their fingers interlinked. “We should ah- get back to the school,” Josie said. 

Penelope nodded, trying to shake herself back together. Trying not to replay the feeling of Josie being near her in her mind. Josie started to walk and Penelope fell into a rhythm of steps just behind her. Josie was quiet. Penelope was quiet too. She was processing everything that had happened, perhaps Josie was as well. They reached the school and just as they were about to open the gates Josie looked back at her, her forehead slightly scrunched in concern, and asked,  
“That thing that happened to you last night. Will it happen again tonight?” Her voice was soft but still stern. Still demanding that Penelope answer. 

Penelope contemplating lying, but she was tired and knew that it would take an insane amount of energy to hide it from Josie every night. Energy she needed to keep Josie hating her. 

“Yes.” Her voice was neutral, revealing none of the anguish she felt. Penelope turned and kept walking; her eyes cast back at the school. But she knew what was coming next, as Josie sped up beside her, and she dreaded it. 

“I will siren the magic,” Josie demanded, glaring at Penelope. Her voice was louder than usual and it grated against Penelope’s ears. Penelope shook her head immediately, so forcefully she almost hurt her neck. 

“No you won’t,” she growled in response, her voice was harsh and void of emotion, her eyes cold. “Its dark magic. And you’re untrained. It would be beyond dangerous. Regardless, people like you shouldn’t touch dark magic.” Penelope saw Josie clench her fists in resolve at the people like you comment. Fuck, Penelope thought. She didn't mean it as it had sounded. She meant that Josie was too good for dark magic, too kind, too generous, too sweet. Dark magic could get into your head and change you. Penelope knew that better than anyone. She started to walk faster hoping Josie would let it drop. It was a foolish hope, she knew that. 

“Train me. You said it yourself you’ve done it hundreds of times before. I know I can manage the magic. And anyway, what do I have to lose?” Everything, Penelope wanted to scream back at her. Didn't Josie see that she had everything to keep fighting for? She had family who loved her, friends who needed her, a worth within herself that ought to be respected. And she had Penelope. She didn't know it, but she always would. Penelope felt a storm threatening to take her. She didn’t know how to stand it, how to stand Josie implying that her life meant nothing. That it already had been lost. 

So instead of staying to engage Penelope just cast a spell that flung open the gate. She stepped through it, not turning to look back at Josie. Penelope cast another spell closing the gate, blocking Josie behind it. And then before Josie could shout at her she said, 

“Fine. Meet me at my room at 10. It should start around then.” Penelope didn’t turn around to see Josie’s reaction. She couldn’t. The girl had gotten in her head enough that day already. But she heard the silence and she knew that it meant Josie had heard her and that she likely had a small satisfied smile on her face. 

Penelope had a lot to think about as she walked back up to the school doors. Josie’s hate, how it had angered her, how it had given her back her magic. Josie’s fear, how it had filled her with guilt, how it had weakened her magic. Penelope had to strategize, to adjust her plans, to focus on her goals. Plus there was Hope, Hope who would be infuriated by Penelope revealing that they had been in contact all these years. Hope who was the daughter of an Original vampire and a werewolf Queen and the granddaughter of a powerful witch and likely wasn't above their favourite methods of torture. So basically, Penelope had a lot of serious things to think about. 

Yet, as she walked her head was consumed only by thoughts of Josie’s hands and how it had felt to hold them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly shorter chapter today! But I wanted to update so I have split it into two parts. Let me know what you think should happen next, what you're liking/hating, what characters you want to see etc. I love any sort of advice and feedback. Can't wait to watch the FINALE. Don't know how I'm going to survive Legacies Season 1 being over- probably by reading more fanfiction. :)


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